The Arrowverse crossover has always been a big event. But this year, the annual crossover episodes will also bring the introduction of a new superhero to the DCTV scene: Batwoman. She may be new to TV, she's a very well-known character with comic fans. And those fans will be thrilled to see that the first look at Ruby Rose as Batwoman is almost identical to her modern comic book counterpart. Which is pretty exciting, to say the least.
The new crossover, which according to a press release obtained by Bustle starts filming Oct. 9 in Vancouver, is titled "Elseworlds," and is a three-night event, starting on Dec. 9. While nothing in this new image gives a huge hint as to what "Elseworlds" could mean for the CW's crossover, the photo of Rose as Batwoman still reveals a lot about the big event simply by showing fans what the new superhero will look like. Known as Kate Kane in her everyday life, Batwoman is an heiress who is inspired by Batman's vigilante ways and takes up a similar moniker. This modern version (different than the original Kathy Kane) is a lesbian superhero who was forced to leave West Point because of her sexuality. While she was not the first lesbian character in the DC world, she was one of the first big profile ones, and with her inclusion of the Arrowverse, she could become the first LGBT superhero to headline her own show (but we're getting ahead of ourselves).
As evidenced by the new photo, it looks like Rose's Batwoman will look similar to the one found in the modern comics (2006 to the present). The black onesie complete with red accents, and, of course, flaming red hair seen in the comic below, are all present in this live action version.
Rose, who is best known for her role on Orange is the New Black, has called playing Batwoman "a childhood dream." In an Instagram post announcing her casting as Kate Kane, Rose, who identifies as genderfluid and has been hailed as a queer icon, also took care to give a shoutout to the LGBT community. She wrote:
"The Bat is out of the bag and I am beyond thrilled and honored. I’m also an emotional wreck.. because this is a childhood dream. This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on tv and felt alone and different."
Batwoman will be introduced in the crossover episode, and there is an opportunity for her to get her own solo spinoff show, which would make Batwoman the first openly gay superhero to lead a major television show, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Greg Berlanti, the creator of the Arrowverse, recently praised Rose. “[Ruby] is terrific in the role, and we’re excited for people to see the story,” Berlanti said while attending the L.A. LGBT Center Vanguard Awards. So, who knows, a solo show could be in the works.
While The CW hasn't revealed yet what the storyline will be for the crossover episodes, Elseworlds was a series of DC comics that kind of played with "what if" scenarios with all our favorite heroes. For instance, there's one called "Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl" from 1998 that imagines if Batman and Superman never came to be, and it was just Supergirl and Batgirl left to protect the Earth. It seems safe to assume that the Arrowverse crossover will play with this idea of alternate realities, though how Batwoman herself will factor into this remains a mystery.
